Method of attaching fastening devices.



G. C. SNYDER.

METHOD OF ATTACHING FASTENING DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1914.

Patented May 4, 1915.

g g j W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. SNYDER, OF NEW YORK, N] Y.

METHOD OF ATTACHING FASTENING DEVICES.

Application filed lune29, 19141 T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GrSNYDER, a citizen of the United States,-residing in the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements iii-Methods of Attaching Fastening Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and-exact description of the invention, such as will enable ot'hersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to the method of attaching to fabricsand" the like, fastening devices of the same general type as those disclosed in my co-pending applications, Ser. No. 837,393, filed May 9, 1914-, and Ser. No. 844,434, filed June 11', 1914.

The fastening devices disclosed inthese applications consist of the fastening member proper, such as abutton or the like, and a t-ubular thimble which is adapted to be forced into a tubular shank of the button and locked therein, due to a collapsing of the thimble which takes place when the same is forced against the head of the button. A portion of the fabric is carried into the shank of the button by the thimble, and when the same is locked in position, the button is thereby securely attached to the fabric.

The present invention is directed to the general method involved inapplying fastening devices of the foregoing character, and is exemplified-in the accompany-ing'drawing, in which Figure 1 is asectional view,'partl'y in elevation, of the improved fastener disclosed in my pending application, Ser. No. 844,434, above referred to, showing the parts in position ready to be assembled; Fig. 2 is a Corresponding sectional view showing the position of the various parts just before the thimble collapses; and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the thimble in its collapsed condition and showing the but ton firmly attached to the fabric;

Referring to the-drawing, in which one form of my improved fastening device is shown to illustrate the method, the fastening member proper, which, in the present instance, is a button, ,is denoted generally by the reference character 1, the head portion of which may be of any suitable construction; A tubular shank portion 2 is pro \ided, which, at its lower edge, has a basal Specification of ietters Patent.

Patented May 4, 191'5.

Ser1el-"No.847,938.

inturned flange 3, for the purpose tobe hereinafter described.

A tubular member or thimble 4 is provided, preferably, but not necessarily, closed at one end and preferably slightly rounded at one end, as best shown in Fig. 2, the thimble being adapted to be positioned in telescopic relation with the shank 2 of the button; In the present instance, the parts are telescoped by forcing the thimble into the shank of the button, the shank constituting the'other tubular member referred to in the claims. In Fig. 1-,-the thimble 4 is shown in position ready to be positioned within the shank 2, and the fabric a, to which the fas tener is to be secured, is interposed between the thimble 4 and the button. The plunger I A, of any suitable assembling mechanism, then descends, and, by means of a suitably formed shoulderA thereon, which engages thejedge portionof the thimble, thelatter isforced together with a portion of the fabric a into the shank 2 of the button, as shown in Fig. 2. The thimble 4 is of such' length that during its descent, the end thereof strikes the head of the button, so that further force applied to the thimble'by means of the plunger A will tend to upset orcollapse that portion of the thimble which lies within the shank 2. As the plunger A fur ther descends from the position shown in Fig. 2, that end'of the thimble within the shank expands and spreads radially in all directions, forming an: enlarged bulbous head on the thimble, as shown in Fig. The expanded thimble, therefore, fills up practically the entire spuce'within'the shank, 2, and as theexpansionof the thimble takes place behind the flange 3, the thimble is se curely and firmly locked within theshank ofthe button. As a portion of the fabric passes behind the thimble, it is obvious that the locking of the thimble in place also securely attachesthe button to the fabric.

The diameter of the thimble is such that as the thimble, together with the fabric, passes through the opening in the shank 2, the flange 3 will be deflected to substantially the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A tight gripping action on the fabric, therefore, results between the inner edge of the flange and the adjacent portion of the thimble, as exemplified at3, in Fig. 3.

In my co-pending application, Ser. No. 844,434, it is clearly explained how the inturned flange 3 adapts the button to several thicknesses of fabric as well as to one thick ness. The flange 3 will be deflected a greater or less extent, depending upon the number of thicknesses of fabric to which the button is applied. The said flange 3, therefore, automatically adapts itself to the number of thicknesses of fabric, and the button may be used on all parts of a garment, regardless of the number of thicknesses of material at the point at which the button is applied. The button may be as firmly secured to the fabric in one instance as in the other, and the collapsing actionof the thimble is the same when one thickness of material is involved as when a number of thicknesses thereof are involved.

It will be noted that the plunger A, in descending, exerts an axial pressure on the walls of the tubular thimble, and when the thimble contacts with the head of the button, a continuance of the application of this pressure results in the collapsing, of the -thimble, hereinbefore described, and that.

portion oft-he thimble within. the shank of the button bulges outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. The shoulder A'on the plunger A is preferably soshaped as to prevent the peripheral edge of the thimble from slipping off the plunger A, when the thimble comes into contact with the head of the button. This shoulder therefore, confines the peripheral edge of the thimble andprevents that portion of the thimble-from expanding while the same is being forced againstthe head of the button. The entire collapsing action or expansion of the thimble, 'there-' fore, takes 'placebehind the flange 3, as-

clearly shown. in Fig.3.}

From the foregoing, it will her-seen that in one stroke of any suitable assembling mechanism, the thimble is positioned and collapsed, in the manner hereinbefore described. The same plunger, which positions the thimble, is, therefore, employed to produce the collapsing action. This is permitted by the fact that the pressure exerted by'the plunger is applied to thewalls of the thimblein a direction-parallel therewith.

In other words,-an axial pressure'is exerted at the peripheral edge of the thimble, which.

results in the formation of the bulbous head on the thimble. It is to be understood, however, that the term bulbous, as used throughout the specification and claims, is

to be construed as meaning any kind of an enlarged head having lateral walls convexed outwardly, whether the expanded end of the thimble be closed or not. V

.What I claim is i v -1.. The method of attach-ing to fabric, fastening devices, comprising two tubular membersone, of which is adapted to be positioned in the other by telescopic action, which method consists in telescoping said members by forcing one of the same and a portion of the fabric into the other and collapsing a portion-of the inner member during' the telescoping action to form a bulbous head thereon to lock the collapsed member within the'other, thereby attaching the fastening device to the fabric. 7 2. The method of attaching to fabric, fastening devices, comprising two tubular members one of which is adapted to be positioned in the other by telescopic action, which method .consists'intelescoping said members'by forcing one of the same and a .portion of the fabric into the other and collapsing a portion of the inner member during the telescoping action to form a head portion thereon having outwardly convexed lateral walls to lock the collapsed member within the other, thereby attaching the fastening device to the fabric.

3. The method of attaching to fabric, fas- 8 tening devices, comprising an outer tubular member and a tubular thimble adapted to be positioned therein, which consists in telescoping said tubular thimble with respect to the outer member by forcing the tubular thimble and a portion of the fabric into said outer member, and collapsing a portionof the thimble during the telescoping action to form a'bulbous-head thereonto lock the collapsed thimble within the outer member, thereby attaching the fastening device to the fabric.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE o. SNYDER.

Witnesses: DANIEL T. FARRINGTON,,

WM. E. Bencmm. 

